How to Save a Life
Summary: Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend. Somewhere along in the bitterness. Partial interpretation of song, almost character death, swear words and dead people mentioned. Klaine-centric. Bad Summary. One-shot.
A/N: Inspired by How To Save A Life – The Fray. Amazing song, made me cry :'(… Anyways, it's turning the song into a scenario and doesn't contain the lyrics until the end, so go listen to it! If you've lost someone who means the world to you, the song is a perfect representation, believe me, learnt from experience. Enough with the sappy emotional blab, so read and ENJOY!
Disclaimer: Don't own How To Save A Life and Glee (Kurt and Blaine included) because I don't think The Fray and Ryan Murphy know who I am. I used Chuck Criss' name because I got stuck on names. Don't own him either, he belongs to the Criss family, just like Darren.
Kurt Hummel was sitting on the floor, hands cupping his right cheek, sobbing his heart out. He had just been slapped. By the man he truly loved. Blaine Anderson, his boyfriend, his best friend, his brother, his missing puzzle piece, his everything, had just slapped the life out of Kurt.
It started earlier that evening, Kurt came home from a girls' day to find Blaine sitting on the couch, his back turned to him. The younger man stepped forward.
"Blaine?"
The shorter man only turned, holding a picture of Kurt and his ex-boyfriend, Dave Karofsky.
"Who is this?" Blaine asked, his voice emotionless, but Kurt could read him like an open book.
"That's Karofsky, he's my ex. I told you about him. Why are you so mad all of a sudden? That's an old picture, you can tell!"
"This is an old picture, but this one isn't," out of his pocket, Blaine pulled out another picture, it was a party scene and the two main subjects were Kurt and Karofsky. Kissing and dry humping each other. The stylish diva was shocked, how did Blaine find this picture? As if he could read his mind, Blaine mumbled with a monotone,
"Finn gave this to me. You brought Karofsky home that night. I asked when you went to the party, and guess what?"
Kurt couldn't speak; he totally forgot that the day he went to the party was 'the day of his 6-month anniversary with Blaine.'
"It was the day of our 6-month anniversary. I was in my car outside your house that night. I asked your dad where you were; he said you were at said party and you would be home soon. What neither of us knew was who you went with. If you went with another girl or a guy I trusted, I would've passed it as a party for New Directions, but no. You had to attend with stupid Karofsky. For the whole night! Your dad was fuming and so was I. You were lucky I didn't hit him when I came around the next morning. You were lucky that your dad had prepared his shotgun but decided against it. You were lucky I still had respect for you that morning."
"B-Blaine, I'm sorry. I-I-I…"
"Have nothing to say, I know. That's because you've said every little detail of your life to Dave fucking Karofsky! That kid is a fag and treated you like one and you still had the guts to lead him on?"
"I was drunk!" Kurt screamed; Blaine wasn't taken aback one bit.
"Keep telling yourself that. You didn't call me before you left, you didn't call me when you woke up, YOU DIDN'T EVEN CARE ABOUT ME ONE BIT!" Now it was Blaine's turn to scream. Kurt was trembling; he had never seen his boyfriend this angry before.
"Blaine, please," Kurt was pleading but Blaine didn't give in one bit.
"Please what? Please leave? Gladly," and in a second Blaine turned and headed for the door. A hand pulling him back in stopped him. By instinct, Blaine turned and slapped the man. He didn't regret it one bit.
Blaine ran to his car and drove down the streets, far away from Lima, Ohio. He needed to go to San Francisco, he needed to see his brother, Chuck. He was a bit drowsy and the rain was pelleting down hard. The roads were slippery and his sight was reduced to about a meter. He reached the exit to San Francisco and kept travelling down the wet road. The curly haired man was trying to find his phone and didn't see the traffic lights. When he looked up, he only saw large headlights and he was knocked unconscious, unaware of his surroundings.
The hobbit-sized man opened his eyes to faint beeping noises and a white room (or was it a space?) and nothing else. His head felt like he was just attacked by a massive hangover truck, his body was limp and his vital organs weren't functioning to its maximum capacity.
"Where am I?" Blaine mumbled under his breath. He took a good look and saw nothing. It was plain white. He looked down and saw that he was wearing a white t-shirt that hugged him and some really cool white dress pants with zippers.
"Is this heaven?" the curly haired boy was curious, he started walking in a direction he considered would be North. He kept walking and found a more, busier space. It was packed with people that he didn't know. He stopped one of them, a fair lady. She looked oddly familiar.
"Hi madam, sorry to bother you."
"Oh, no. Not at all young man."
"Um, care to tell me madam, where am I?"
"Ah, newbie. You, young man, are stuck in your half-life half-death conscience. Car crash I'm guessing. Your body is paralysed and you are actually in a coma."
"Wow, this happen often?"
"Yeah, we get at least 3 newbies every hour. Don't worry, most of us are actually dead, this is just part of your soul flying away to what it considers a safe place. It's why you're dressed casually when the one's who are dead are dressed all fancy like."
Blaine never realised this until the woman pointed it out.
"Well, thank you madam…"
"Hummel. Elizabeth Hummel. You are most welcome young?"
"Blaine. Blaine Anderson."
"Well the young Blaine, I must be off. Goodbye."
"Bye," was all Blaine could say. That's why she looked familiar. She was Kurt's mother. He had just met Kurt's mother. This was a whole new freaky.
He looked around the sea of people and saw a large amount of fancy-dressed men and women, only a few casually dressed people were found. Huh, I stick out like a sore thumb, Blaine thought. He decided to walk towards the general direction of the mob to what he thought was East (turns out it was South, whoops!). He followed them until he came to a large building. It looked oddly like a hospital. He had nothing to lose, so he decided he would enter anyway.
When he turned a corner, he found a room with his name on it. 'What in the name of Pigfarts?' Being the curious kid he was, he peered inside. There was a large queen sized bed that filled a third of the room; the rest was pretty much like his dorm room in Dalton, his Mac book on his desk; the full-length mirror right behind it. Next to the mirror was a closet. He was disappointed when he found out it was empty. He saw his favourite beanbag in front of the TV and his Xbox 360 in the compartments below the plasma screen. 'Déjà vu much.' The only difference was that there was no window behind the headboard of the bed. He decided he would lay down and just try to think this whole thing ('what an understatement') through. He was confused and tired at the same time. He closed his eyes and all of a sudden…
"Blaine! Blaine, please wake up! Buddy, you're scaring me! Please, Blaine, wake up!"
'Who the hell is this?' Blaine slightly opened his eyes and saw his brother, Chuck Anderson, standing above him, holding his hand with his right, his left hand slapping Blaine's cheek lightly.
"Oh thank God Blaine, you're alive!"
"Wh… Where am I? Ch-Chuck, where am I-I?"
"Blaine, you were in a car crash, you're in the hospital now. It's okay, I'm here."
Blaine would never admit it but whenever he heard his brother say those four words, he felt like he had a proper family, a place to fall back to when he needed to. He loved his brother, and since his parents disowned both of them, Chuck was the only person Blaine could hold onto for dear life.
"Th-Thanks Chuck. I-I love you."
"Awww, Blaine. I love you too. Rest up buddy, you got hit pretty hard. I'm here, don't worry."
And Blaine didn't worry. He trusted and believed everything Chuck says. He winced in pain when he tried to raise one of his fingers, some crash that was. He slept peacefully; sadly he didn't return to that hospital or saw Elizabeth Hummel again.
Chuck watched his brother's sleeping form. He looked comfortable and very calm, different to what he saw last week when he flew to Ohio. The silence was welcoming and Chuck loved it. Sadly, it was broken when he heard Blaine's phone ring. He read the caller ID through the cracks on his iPhone.
My Fair Prince Calling
'Who in the…?'
"Hello?"
"You-You're not Blaine."
"That's cause I'm not."
"Who are you and what have you done to him."
"Um, I'm Chuck, his brother. Who are you?"
"Oh. Sorry. I'm Kurt, Blaine's boyfriend. Or ex, as I now see it. Wait, why do you have his phone? Aren't you all the way in…"
"San Fran, yeah. I-um, Blaine drove all the way here from Ohio. It was a really long trip, he was tired and he kinda…"
Chuck couldn't continue. Tears started welling up in his eyes. Even though he knew his brother was alive and well, he still couldn't get the image of a memorial service for one Blaine Anderson.
"Chuck? What is it?"
"Uh, Kurt, um," Chuck held back a sob, "Come to San Fran for yourself. I-I'm sorry. Bye."
And just like that, the line went dead.
Hummel Household
After Blaine left, Kurt could do nothing but pour his heart out. He went to his room and looked at every picture of him and Blaine. He longed for those days to appear right before his eyes once again. Oh wait, they couldn't. The countertenor moved to his mirror and saw the red handprint on his perfect porcelain skin. He hissed in pain as his fingers traced the mark. He decided to put make up on it and hope his Dad didn't see it. He was wrong.
"Hey kiddo," Burt was standing in his doorframe, leaning to his left. The teen only looked at his father from the mirror.
"Hey dad. How was work?"
"Wasn't there today."
Kurt was shocked. His dad would always go to work unless there was something important related to Kurt, his health or Elizabeth's family. He turned around in his seat to face the old man.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why weren't you at work?"
"Blaine."
Now Kurt was confused. What did Blaine have to do with this?
"Why-What does Blaine have to do with this?"
"He told me the whole story. He came by an hour after you left, when I was about to leave. He told me about the whole night and showed me a video from the party that Mercedes took. I'm disappointed in you son. You promised to Blaine and to me that you wouldn't do anything without Blaine. Why did you break that promise?"
"I was drunk!"
"And so you decided to throw yourself around like you didn't matter? Kurt, we had this talk. I'm very, deeply disappointed in you."
"Stop making me feel bad dad! I thought you would be more fatherly like."
"Not when you hurt the person who has loved you for every little flaw everyone used against you. I was glad he slapped you. I think you deserved that."
"DAD!"
Kurt was furious; his dad was telling him he deserved the slap? What world did Kurt live in now?
"I'm just being blunt Kurt. Next time you bring home a boy and it's not Blaine, I'll call him over to slap some life into you. Blaine is an amazing boy and deserves every bit of you, he takes care of you like you matter, he's helped you through the tough times and you decide to misuse him? You just use him as your 'fuck buddy' as Finn and his friends would put it, don't you? You have to apologize to Blaine then come back to me, look me in the eye and say 'I'm sorry, it won't happen again'. I love you Kurt, but this has gone too far," air quotes on the 'fuck buddy'.
And just like that, Burt left his son in his room. Kurt felt like he had just been bitch slapped by Gaga.
'My dad just fought with me, over a boy. I have nothing to live for now.'
Kurt decided to take his dad up on his offer; he needed to talk to Blaine and figure this goddamn thing out.
When the former kicker heard a voice from the other end, he knew this wasn't good. He found out that Chuck, Blaine's brother had picked up the phone and now,
"Come to San Fran yourself. I-I'm sorry. Bye."
Oh My Gaga, what now? Kurt was freaking out like crazy. He opened his laptop and tried to find the first flight out of Ohio to San Fran. He saw that the first flight was scheduled to leave at 6 in the morning. He booked the tickets, printed them and sent a text to Mercedes.
Cedes, get you're choc booty to my house at 5:30 2morrow morning. Urgent. Xx – K
Not long after, a reply instantly came back.
Sounds like it.. Alrite, white boy, get some sleep.. Cya 2morow xx – M
Kurt exhaled a shaky sigh. He couldn't sleep for longer than an hour. In the end he only got 4 hours of sleep and got ready. He left a note on his door for his dad in his perfect cursive writing.
Dad,
Called Blaine last night, flying out to SF now. Will be home by Sunday. Thank you, I love you.
Kurt x
At exactly 5:30, he heard a light knock on the door. He spoke to Mercedes for a while and left for the airport soon after.
After the long flight, Kurt decided he would go visit Blaine. He asked Chuck which hospital he was in and found out it wasn't far from the airport. The countertenor took a cab to the hospital and paid the driver the amount plus a tip. His bags in his hand, Kurt walked up to the front desk and found the receptionist.
"What can I do for you today sir?"
"I'd like to visit my friend, a Blaine Anderson."
"Ah, Mr. Anderson is in room 235. You may take the elevator for your convenience."
"Thank you ma'am," and with that, Kurt went to the elevators and pressed the number 2. Once he stepped out onto floor 2, he looked at the signs. Room 235 was on his left. He walked down the long hallway and counted the door numbers in his head. Once he got to room 235, he could hear a couple of voices and laughter ring from inside the room. He knocked slightly on the door.
Chuck stood up as his brother was eating his breakfast while watching an episode of Spongebob Squarepants. He knew his brother had a craving for a certain yellow sponge whenever he came to San Fran. He headed to the door and found a tired looking teen waiting outside the room.
"Uh, hi?"
Kurt looked up and saw how similar Chuck looked with Blaine.
"Hi, I'm Kurt. The guy who screamed at you on the phone last night. Sorry about that."
Realisation struck Chuck like a lightning bolt. "Ah, right. That Kurt kid. Well, about last night, don't worry. Just let me ask my brother first, kay?"
Kurt only nodded and looked at his converse shoes as Chuck walked towards his laughing brother.
"Who was it?"
Chuck wanted to lie to his little brother so badly but he couldn't. It would kill both boys if he lied. He took a deep breath before he uttered, "Kurt. That boy you love."
Blaine was gob smacked. Kurt? The Kurt Hummel? What was that bitch doing here? He better have a good reason.
"Let him in," the lead soloist said with a shaky voice, his older brother only nodding his agreement. Moments later, the countertenor stepped into the room. He put his hands over his mouth gasping at the sight of the pained man lying before him.
"B-Blaine, wh… What happened?" Kurt was in so much shock he couldn't even make coherent sentences.
"Car crash," Blaine replied and shrugged slightly, wincing at the pain he felt.
"You dick Blaine, you know you're not supposed to move your upper body!" Chuck exclaimed, Blaine chuckling slightly at his brother's words.
"Everyone's not as perfect as you Mr. I-am-totally-awesome-I-have-a-million-bucks!"
Both boys chuckled lightly, but Kurt took this matter seriously.
"When?"
"Last night. Was driving to San Fran and a truck hit me head on," Blaine answered like nothing major had happened. Then Blaine remembered something.
"You're mum's really pretty. Amazing woman too," the curly haired boy mumbled, a small smile appearing on his tattered mouth.
Kurt was dumb founded. How did Blaine know his mother? His mother, who died when he was eight, way before he met Blaine.
"H-How did you?" Kurt was visibly shaking.
Blaine didn't answer, but he threw a question at the shocked teen, "Why are you here, Kurt? Another slap?"
Kurt inhaled deeply before he said, "I'm sorry. I was stupid, I shouldn't have gone to that party, I should have called you before and I should have remembered our anniversary. If the heartbreak is still too much, can we at least just be friends, please?"
Blaine looked at the boy with accomplishment in his eyes. He sighed before he replied, "If you promise me it will never ever happen again, I will give you one more chance. Waste it and we're over for good. Okay, Kurt?"
The taller boy just nodded and leaned forward to give a kiss on Blaine's forehead.
"You almost died, why did this happen in the first place?" Kurt asked as he sat down on the bed, Dora the Explorer playing in the background, Chuck playing on his iPod.
"Our fight. I got pissed and sort of took off. San Fran is like my second home besides Ohio and I just decided to pop by. It was raining, I was tired, car sped forward, missed a traffic light, boom. Where we are right now," the shorter boy replied, moving his eyes in a circular motion as if to show the shaken teen the room and hospital in general.
Kurt only nodded, then he asked in a whisper, "How did you meet my mother?"
"Simple, coma, fly away to King's Cross Station in its purest form, conversation, bang. How I met your mother."
Kurt snickered at the many references the injured boy could muster and laid his hand on the soloist's chest, feeling his heart beat against his palm.
"I'm sorry I caused this hassle."
"It doesn't matter, at least now I have you back and Chuck's here, I'm safe."
Kurt smiled and his boyfriend reciprocated. They shared a loving gaze before Kurt broke the comforting silence.
"Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend. Somewhere along in the bitterness. And I would have stayed up with you all night. Had I known how to save your life."
Blaine only grinned wide, that was their song now. How To Save a Life. He leaned forward and kissed the brunette on the lips. They let go seconds later and Kurt carefully hugged his boyfriend. They were perfect together, like puzzle pieces. Chuck looked to the couple on the bed humming a tune. He couldn't be more happier than now, seeing his little brother smile and know it's partially because of him. Try to slip past his defence without granting innocence. Lay down a list of what is wrong; the things you've told him all along. Pray to God he hears you, and pray to God he hears you.
A/N: If it confuses you, the reason I wrote the Hummel household bit is so you could know what goes on with Kurt. I didn't type the whole conversation again cause that's just a waste of time. It makes the story more fluid.
I was going to make Blaine die but I thought that was too much. It was like reliving the moment I found out my most favourite teacher/mentor died. He died because of a car crash and his kids were badly hurt, I can't go into graphic details without crying. Enough about my emotional rant, thanks for reading, Review please :)
RIP Mr. Sonny
P.S. How To Save a Life, amazing song :)